North Baltimore Patch – by Elizabeth Janney
Six officers are suspended related to the death of Freddie Gray, Baltimore’s Deputy Police Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez said at a press conference Monday.
Gray is the 25-year-old Baltimore man who died Sunday from a spinal cord injury, one week after he was taken into police custody.
“As this investigation continues, we will take corrective action whenever and wherever it is necessary,” Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said during Monday’s press conference.
Already, he said he has ordered “several policies to be rewritten” involving transportation and medical attention of detainees.
An autopsy from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner showed that Gray’s spinal cord injury resulted in his death, Batts said, yet officials say they are still unsure how Gray became injured and why he was arrested.
Arrest Unclear
Gray was taken into custody in the 1700 block of Presbury Street in west Baltimore at 8:40 a.m. on Sunday, April 12, after he made “eye contact” with officers and then ran away, Batts said. He was chased two blocks before an officer said over the radio that the individual was in custody, according to police.
“Part of the investigation is digging deeper into that,” Batts continued. “There is no law against running.”
Court documents obtained by The Baltimore Sun indicate Gray had a switchblade inside his front pants pocket.
“We know that having a knife is not necessarily a crime,” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. “It is not necessarily probable cause to chase someone. We still have questions.”
Injured in Van
As far as Gray’s injuries, Rawlings-Blake said there was no operating procedure inside the police transport van as far as surveillance.
Police say they are continuing to investigate.
“I know that when Mr. Gray was placed inside that van, he was able to talk, he was upset,” Rodriguez said. “And when Mr. Gray was taken out of that van, he did not talk and he could not breathe.”
Officers said they did not use force and while one pulled a Taser out upon detaining Gray initially, the Taser was not used, according to Rodriguez.
During the half-mile van trip from the place of Gray’s detainment to the western precinct, there were several stops and several times when Gray requested medical attention, according to Rodriguez:
- At 8:42 a.m., Gray asked for an inhaler when police requested a transport van.
- At 8:46 a.m., the van driver “believes Gray is acting irate” so as a result, Gray was taken out, put in leg irons and put back in the van.
- At 8:59 a.m., the driver requested someone check on “his prisoner” for reasons that remain undetermined.
- Before 9:24 a.m., a second detainee was picked up and put in the van, with a metal barrier between them so they could not see one another.
- At 9:24 a.m., police requested an ambulance at the western precinct to take Gray to the hospital.
By the time Gray was taken to the hospital, he was in “very serious medical condition,” Rodriguez previously said.
“None of his limbs were broken,” Rodriguez said Monday, referencing the autopsy report. “He did suffer a very tragic injury to his spinal cord, which resulted in his death.”
The Gray family’s lawyer said his spine was nearly severed from his neck.
The 25-year-old remained hospitalized for a week until he died on Sunday, April 19.
Police said the department’s findings will be submitted to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office by Friday, May 1. The state’s attorney will determine whether any charges will be filed.
Screenshot of April 20 press conference with (from left to right) Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, Deputy Police Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, from YouTube.
This is an attempt to appease an outraged community. The pigs will be back on the street beating and robbing people as soon as a new scandal distracts you from this one.